The short answer
Dial *#06# on your phone. If an EID number appears alongside the IMEI, your phone has eSIM hardware. You also need it to be carrier-unlocked, which is a separate question and the one that catches most people out.
Three ways to find out for certain, and what to do if the answer is no.
The quickest check
Open the dialler and type *#06#. A panel of numbers appears. If one of them is labelled EID, the phone has an eSIM chip. No EID means no eSIM, whatever the box said.
On an iPhone you can also look under Settings, General, About, and scroll to EID. On Android, look for Add eSIM under your SIM settings.
Hardware is only half the answer
A phone can have eSIM hardware and still refuse to install a travel plan, because it is locked to the carrier that sold it. Phones bought outright are almost always unlocked. Phones bought on a monthly contract often are not until the contract ends.
If you are unsure, ask your carrier to confirm the phone is unlocked before you buy any travel plan. It is a free phone call and it saves a refund request.
If the answer is no
A local SIM card bought on arrival still works, and in some countries it is cheaper than any eSIM. You will need your passport in most places, and you will lose your home number while it is in the phone.
Common questions
Does an eSIM work on a tablet or smartwatch?
Often, yes, if the device has cellular and an EID. The same *#06# check works on most of them. Data-only travel plans suit tablets well.
My phone is unlocked but the install still failed. What now?
The commonest cause is that the QR code has already been used once; an eSIM profile can normally only be installed a single time. Contact support rather than buying a second plan.
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